It’s been 20 years since the Northern-Inter Tribal Health Authority first opened its doors and the organization was celebrating the event Thursday in Prince Albert.
Dr. Nnamdi Ndubuka is the medical health officer for NITHA.
He says it is important to take time to step back and assess the inter-tribal health authority after two decades.
“Taking the time to look at where we started and where we are now and to look at the challenges and to look at the successes,” he says. “Gives us the opportunity to, you know, to look into and see where we are doing well at and what are the gaps there and where we need to improve in terms of our investment.”
Ndubuka says the inter-tribal health authority has seen a lot of changes over the years, particularly in staffing numbers starting from a handful of employees in 1998 to a full complement of 35 today.
“I think we’ve been able to expand our staff strength. By looking at the public health unit, it used to be a very small unit with a few staff but today we are proud to announce we have a full complement of public health team.”
NITHA’s medical health officer says one of the biggest challenges for the inter-tribal health authority continues to be providing timely health services to remote northern communities.
NITHA provides services to the Prince Albert Grand Council, Meadow Lake Tribal Council, Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation and Lac La Ronge Indian Band.
(PHOTO: Northern Inter-Tribal Health Authority Medical Health Officer Dr. Nnamdi Ndubuka. Photo by Fraser Needham)